Momofuku Ko 2.0 - New place, same delicious food

After several years, we've finally made it back to Momofuku Ko -- this time in it's brand spanking new and shiny home down in the East Village.  No longer housed at the original noodle bar location, the new Ko, which I refer to as Ko 2.0. is much bigger with bar seating that surrounds an interior kitchen where the chefs prepare your meal course by course in front of you. While you still get the "show", you no longer feel as though you are sitting right on top of the chefs as you might have felt in the old 12 person seater.

Ko 2.0. I think seats more like 30-40 guests at a time (I could be wrong on the number, but you get the point - its at least 3x bigger than the old space).  The meal has been bumped up to $175/person from the $125/person at the old location, or the $85/person meal we tasted a month after it originally opened.  Keep in mind though, lunch at the Ko 1.0 was $175/person so this is really the same price...

Pricey yes, worth it? Probably.  The meal is about 2-3 hours long with 17+ dishes.  Mostly small bites/tapa style, all very pungent with flavor.  Most of the dishes felt new, but not to worry - you will get the shaved foie gras...his signature dish still made the exact same way as I remember with pine nuts, lychee and riesling.

Shaved Foie Gras

You won't however get the much instagrammed "Foie Gras Pheasant pithivier unless you are a "regular" or have done something special to warrant that special dish...while we were there, we only saw one couple receive that, and were told they had already been to Ko 3 times.  Wow...that's investment which surely deserves something extra special..

Here are some pictures of some of what you will receive...

Kabocha pasta with smoked duck

Poached Cod

Seared Mackerel

Soft scrambled egg with caviar

Sunchoke

Uni + Chickpea puree.  Interesting play

Overall, while Ko 2.0. lacks some of the intimacy felt in the original location, I thought the food was just as good, while even adding upon the repertoire with some new and interesting flavor combinations. I think the smaller the bite, the better it was - he's really developed the one bite wonder which I think is a departure from the old menu. I'll be curious to see how the menu continues to evolve - perhaps making this a once a year tradition for us. 

By the way - it's a little tricky to find...Extra Place is located between 1st and 2nd street and Bowery and 2nd Ave.  Sort of like a tiny man made alley :)

Momofuku Ko
8 Extra Place
Reservations

Cosme - Finally a new restaurant worth the hype

We used to go to new restaurants every week.  However, in the last 5-6 years, I don't know if it's just that we got lazy and didn't want to play the "game" of dialing or hopping on opentable at 9am sharp to get the latest "hot reservation," but we've tended to stick closer to home frequenting the same go to spots week in and week out.

On the off chance we did try a new place, more often than not it wasn't worth the hype or hefty price tag.

A couple weeks ago we happened to be walking right around the corner from our apartment - taking 21st street between broadway and Park...for some reason a route we never frequent (we seem to be more partial to 20th)...and happened upon Cosme.  It was the middle of the day so it wasn't open, but I peered in the window wondering what this new seemingly chic place was.  At first I thought, wine bar?  Then I realized a new Mexican place.  But I was afraid it would just be another Rosa Mexicano or Dos Caminos, so I quickly dismissed it wondering how long it would last in this area where restaurants come and go every year.

While surfing the Internet though, Cosme kept coming up - The New Yorker gave it a favorable review, so did the New York Times...

I decided, let's try it.  So I went on their site - and low an behold, of course...the land of 5:30pm or 10:45pm availability.  Okay...so I picked a lone 6pm reservation for President's Day.  Why not - seemed like a good way to end the weekend.

The decor at Cosme is pretty minimalist - very sleek and modern...and very dark.  There is great lighting right above your table, and as other reviews have mentioned - it lends yourself to focusing on just your partner and your food alone.  While trendy, it differs from a lot of the loud bustling places around town, and focuses on the food and company.  It's wonderful.

I'll get right to the food.  Cosme is pretty pricey - the menu has three sections (small apps, vegetarian apps and main courses). They recommend 3 dishes per person, but I think you could go with probably 4-5 total for two, especially if you get the duck carnitas which I highly recommend.

We started with the uni tostada - paired with bone marrow, it was delicious and unique...definitely leveraging the "it" factor of uni right now, but I'm not complaining.  It was a generous portion of Uni and I do think it can be shared for two - small, but who can really each that much rich uni anyhow.

Uni tostada and Sepia

We also got the Sepia - this was an interesting dish.  I had never tasted Sepia, and it was similar in texture to raw calamari, but had a delicious smoky smooth taste and texture.  A unique dish, but may not be for everyone as it is a bit fishy.

The burrata was as good as everyone says - smooth and creamy served with salsa verde and fresh micro greens.  Who would have thought? The salsa verde cut into the creaminess of the burrata in just the right way.

Burrata

For our main - we of course went with the duck carnitas - after seeing pretty much every table near us order the same thing.  It was magnificent. Really delightful - hot out of the oven...the way to eat it is to mix everything up - take the fork and knife and mix it all up - the skin, the greens, and make sure to dig up the fond on the cast iron pan.  Mash it together and its the most delicious, juicy duck you'll ever have.  It's an order for 2, but honestly I think it could have fed four.  We were stuffed half way in and had to take the rest home.  I'm not complaining.  I needed to save room for dessert.

Duck Carnitas for two

The Husk meringue and corn mousse. WOW.  WOW. WOW.  This was a show stopper - the corn flavor wasn't overpowering, with just a hint of smokiness matched with the sweet meringue was a perfect and unusual dessert.  Well worth it.  I thought I was full, but I gobbled it up quickly.

Husk Meringue with Corn Mousse

All in all I would DEFINITELY recommend Cosme.  It's one of the few new restaurants that I really think is worth the buzz, hype and price tag.  Definitely worth a second, third, fourth visit....

Cosme
35 East 21st St between Broadway and Park Ave South
Reservations on opentable

Vic's - Comfort food in style...

Vic's is the "somewhat" new restaurant from the team that brought you favorites Five Points and CookShop.  Vic's has taken over the spot on 31 Great Jones street where the beloved Five Points used to hold fort - especially on Sundays for brunch!  The restaurant has been redesigned with a focus I believe more on lunch and dinner...not just Sunday brunch.  Five Points was pretty legendary for many years as being one of the hottest brunch spots in the city. Waits border-lined on epic, and it was ALWAYS crowded.  However, I think they struggled mightily to recreate the brunch business at night.  For a while they tried introducing themed nights - sunday supper, lobster nights, etc., but it just never caught on, and I think in New York, two days a week of stellar business won't cut it.

Introducing Vic's.  Given I was pretty heart broken when Five Points closed, I was a bit skeptical at first.  But boy, in a day and age where I'm actually finding it pretty hard to find new restaurants that stand up to the old tried and tested ones, Vic's will definitely go on my "go-to" list.  The vibe is somewhat of a family restaurant, but in a New York way.  I went on a recent Saturday evening, and the restaurant, while certainly doing it's fair share of "first date" dinners, also had a large contingency of "sophisticated" Manhattan/Brooklyn families -  large tables with generations of a single family. Perhaps because there is something for everyone on the menu. The food is well done - interesting pizza and pasta dishes (I am very partial to the Little Purse - delicious hot piping ricotta bursts into your mouth, slightly cut by the acid from the lemon).  Main courses - the pork and the oxtail were hearty and shareable.  Perhaps the right order is a pizza/pasta + a main course to share with a partner.  Of course you can't miss some of the appetizers...notably the Sweet Crispy Onions - pretty much every table had these. Think lightly fried onion rings dusted in tomato powder with a bit of bite.  Paired with a parmesan dip - it was like the best of onion rings + nachos combined.  Yum.

All in all - the ambiance was relaxed, not snooty or uptight...not too fashiony, nor too cavalier.  Was just right for any night of the week.  I haven't tried brunch yet, but am definitely looking forward to it. 

Highly recommend!

Vic's

31 Great Jones

212-253-5700

Joseph Leonard - An oldie but a goodie!

Recently on a warm Saturday afternoon (finally I know after what must have been the world's longest winter!) we found ourselves out in the West Village around 6pm thinking where should we eat?  Wanting to take advantage of the early time and the fact that the weather was so nice no one was thinking about eating dinner so early, for fear of missing out on much needed sunshine I though - now would be the perfect time to try somewhere I've always wanted to go.  Joseph Leonard!  Seriously, over the past I don't know how many years, I have walked by this restaurant countless times, driven past it in cabs - always noting how crowded it always is!

I've been to the sister restaurants - Fedora, Chez Sardine and Jeffrey's Grocery...but always wanted to try the original.  So now was my chance.  

We were seated immediately right by the window (I guess since it's so tiny, every table is by a window)...but it was lovely to say the least.  This restaurant is probably the definition of quintessential West Village style.  The staff was super friendly, and I settled in for what ended up being a two hour dinner.  Not rushed one bit - no matter how crowded it got.

The food was delicious - every dish complemented with spring vegetables and cooked wonderfully.  Mussels and fries, and a deliciously flaky hake dish smothered in truffled mushroom and spring peas.  A side of the stuffing with gruyere to boot and I was in heaven.

The best part was dessert - how can you ever turn down monkey bread?  The portions were big, the drinks strong, and the ambiance and staff perfectly lovely.  If I lived in the neighborhood this would definitely be my go to spot.  Even with the customary 1 hr+ wait.

I have been to their other sister restaurants, but I have to say - as with most restaurant groups...the original usually can't be topped. 

Joseph Leonard

170 Waverly Place at West 4th

No reservations

Torrisi Italian Specialties - Great for those early birds!

So this is a quick posting about Torrisi Italian Specialties - which has been written up pretty much everywhere as one of the best new restaurants in 2010.   I finally got a chance to go to Torrisi over the holiday break, braving the elements the day after the blizzard of 2010 to get a chance to try the famous char grilled pork chop that everyone has been raving about.

Thanks to my friends Emily and Dave who braved the cold weather and slushy ground to get to Torrisi by 5:15pm, we were able to snag a table for the first seating of the night at 6pm.  5 minutes too late and we probably would have been stuck waiting another 2 hours for the next seating happening around 7:30pm.

And while one would think it would be easier on the day after the biggest snowstorm of the year, nope!  I guess nothing can stop hardcore foodies!

Anyhow, onto the meal - in one short word it was fabulous!  I am not going to write in too much detail, because you will just have to go see for yourself.  The restaurant is a tiny place, maybe seating around 30 people is my guess?  $50 prix fixe with a $25 wine pairing.  $50 for a prix fixe is quite the deal in NYC these days - especially for this.  First up - fresh mozzarella - and I mean fresh!  Silky smooth with just the right consistency.  That was followed by a sweet beet salad and lambs tongue, topped off with a fresh homemade pasta course.  For our mains, we had the char grilled pork (my pick for the winning dish) as well as a perfectly cooked skate.  Everything pretty much melted in your mouth.  The pork especially had that charred taste, perfectly crispy yet soft and moist beneath.  Delicious!

For dessert, a plate of traditional Italian pastries and cakes!!

For $50, I'd say this is definitely one of the best deals in town.  Perfect for those early bird diners!

Menu changes daily...

Torrisi
250 Mulberry Street @ Prince
212-965-0955

Christmas Eve at Terrapin in Rhinebeck

Every year my boyfriend and I go away somewhere for a short weekend break during Christmas and New Years.  For the past several years we have stayed at the 1770 House in East Hampton over New Years, but this year we went with The Rhinecliff Hotel in Rhinebeck, figuring it was just easier to hop on the train for a weekend in the Hudson Valley.

For Christmas Eve dinner we went with the prix-fixe at Terrapin, which was basically $45 for your choice of appetizer and entree.  Only later did we realize a la carte it would have been about $10 cheaper!  Why do restaurants do that?  At least throw in the dessert for it to make a little more sense...  Or serve dishes off the menu so the diner doesn't feel a bit cheated!

Tempura Calamari

Duck Quesadilla

Anyhow, Terrapin's chef Josh Kroner, a disciple of Bobby Flay, serves up what I would say is nuevo American cuisine that spans everything from Asian influences to Southwestern flavors.  For our appetizers we went with the tempura battered calamari and the mango avocado salsa adorned duck quesadilla.

Now, they may not look that special plated, but the calamari was light and airy as it should be and the duck quesadilla did it's part to whet the appetite. I don't know, maybe I was just really hungry, but it was a great snack!

For the main course I went with the short ribs that had everything I thought I wanted.  Caramelized onions, mashed potatoes and a gruyere crostini to boot!  The short ribs melted off the bone and the onions tasted like sweet butter.  But, the gruyere crostini (possibly the part I was most excited about!) left a lot to be desired.  A bit soggy and wet, it just didn't live up to the hype.  Oh well, you can't win them all.

Short Ribs

My boyfriend ordered the lamb shank, which I can't speak much for since I personally find lamb a bit to gamey for me.

Lamb Shank

But, he enjoyed it, although the garnishments looked very similar to my dish (did they just put different proteins on the same plate?)  I guess that's what you get when dining out on a major holiday and are confronted with the dreaded prix fixe....

All in all, it was a good dinner though and I would visit Terrapin again.  Just not for the prix-fixe.  :)

Terrapin
6426 Montgomery Street
Rhinebeck, NY 
845.876.3330

Jeffreys Grocery - The Perfect Neighborhood Spot...

...It's places like Jeffreys Grocery that make me wish again and again that I lived in the West Village!  I stopped by with my friend Yue to have lunch yesterday at this brand new grocery/bar/luncheonette (they serve dinner too!).  Her friend Jim was bartending, so we decided to pay him a visit and keep him company on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

From the people who brought you Joseph Leonard, the shop is pretty small - seating for maybe around 20?  We nabbed two perfect seats at the bar and got down to business.  First up - the drinks.  The Red Fox and The Waverly Weekender - too classic sweet, but not too sweet drinks.  Perfect for brunch.  For beer lovers - definitely try out their draft (fyi you can also take a growler home of your draft of choice if you so desire!)  A good way to be the most popular Sunday Football house guest!

For lunch we went with the Curry Chicken Salad sandwich and the Pear and arugula salad.  Delicious- both were light and flavorful - not your garden variety salad and sandwich spot.  If you so desire, there is an extensive raw bar as well as cheese and charcuterie options.  Next time I will definitely do a sampling of that...

Keep in mind, this is a part grocery, part bar, part restaurant.  Meaning the menu is pretty small - mostly cold salads and sandwiches with only a couple of hot dishes.  All about quality, not quantity - how every good restaurant should be...

For dessert we were treated to a huge slice of Red Velvet cake with fresh berries in whipped cream - YUM.  Beware, this is meant for 2 - it is huge!  Perfectly moist with cream cheese frosting....this is how red velvet is supposed to be.  Not overly sweet either.

Our other dessert was off the menu, but will hopefully be added soon!  A delicious toasty Olive Oil infused bundt cake.  Yumm....olive oil cake definitely seems to be the dessert du jour these days. Finally, a dessert that's good for you!  :)

As a perfect complement - don't forget to get the coffee - It's Stumptown!!! And there really is a difference between good coffee and bad coffee - it goes down much smoother with none of that acidic aftertaste.

Jeffreys Grocery

172 Waverly Place (at 9th)

(646) 398-7630

Otto Delivery - A great treat for a special someone!

I never knew that Otto delivered until my boyfriend had them send me a meal while he was away!  What a great surprise!  Fresh pizza, salads and best of all - get a pint of their extra special olive oil gelato delivered right to your doorstep!

Here is their "to go" menu.  Vegetables, cheeses, pastas, pizzas, gelato!  What more could you ask for - and delivered in a pizza box all tied up like the present it is!



Otto
One 5th Ave.
212-995-9559

Shake Shack marks the beginning of spring!

Shake Shack Burger, hot dog, fries!!

My first Shake Shack burger of the season comes fittingly on one of the first spring like weekends of the year!  With temperatures around 80 degrees last weekend, I figured it was a great time to test out that line in Madison Square Park.

I showed up around 5:30pm expecting a horrendous line (at its worst, I have waited north of 2 hours before!)  This time the line was surprisingly doable.  Ended up only being about 30-45 minutes.  By the time we got our food it was around 6:30pm.  Not too bad for those of you who are accustomed to such waits for Danny Meyer's famous burgers.

Now, some history on my burger eating background.  I did not grow up eating burgers.  I did not grow up liking ground meat.  I was a firm hot dog eater, not a burger girl whatsoever.  I'm not sure what it was and to this day I have never had a burger from McDonalds.

Only recently did I start to eat burgers.  And I think it was that mini slider I had last fall at Le Fooding, aka Pat La Frieda's Black Label Minetta Tavern Burger.

Now of course that was the mini version of the $26 burger served at Minetta Tavern.  Since then, I have gone back to the restaurant and had the full sized version a couple times.  Each time, it never disappoints.  So mind you - my burger eating began with a $26 burger.  I knew I had to start trying more affordable burgers.

But I'm loyal to Pat La Frieda.  Given my squeamishness around ground meat (I mean sometimes I just don't know what's in it!) I just trust anything with his name attached.

Since he is the king of the NY burger (read this interesting NY Magazine article on him), it's not hard to be loyal.  After all, it's his burger in The Stand, Spotted Pig, Minetta Tavern...and of course Shake Shack!

Anyhow - onto my Shake Shack burger.  A little on the small side, maybe I should have gone with the double - the burger was delicious.  Just as I expected.  Juicy, yet not too oily (am I crazy or does it seem like it's not that unhealthy?)  More of the size of a large slider, at around $4-5 bucks, it's neither cheap nor expensive.  But you probably need two to walk away full.  The only thing that could make it better is a toasted bun :)

Paired with fries that bring me back to high school cafeterias - who doesn't remember those crinkle cut fries!  And of course a thick chocolate milk shake...what a great way to start off spring with a bang!

Now if only every weekend could be so nice.

Shake Shack
Original Location
Madison Square Park

Check website for a Shake Shack coming near you!

Fatty Crab Chili Crabs!!

Chili Crabs at Fatty Crab UWS

Warning - do not take someone here for a first date!  It will make for quite and awkward meal.  And most likely will not result in a second date.  For these chili crabs are messy messy messy!

Then again, there are plenty of other things on the menu at Fatty Crab that one could order.  And strangely our waiter kept pushing us to them.  But hey, why would you go to Fatty Crab and not order crab??  Isn't that kinda like going to Luke's Lobster and ordering the shrimp roll?  (Wait, that happened to me last week when I went there and they didn't have lobster!  I digress, but how do you call yourself "Luke's Lobster" and then proceed to run out of lobster at 5pm in the afternoon?  Before dinnertime????

Ok- back to Fatty Crab.  I went here with my two bosses last week for a late lunch on the upper west side.  Now, we went strictly for the crab after being inspired by a recent food network show where Emeril cooked up chili crabs.  I'm not afraid to admit that's what put the idea in our heads!

 After being seated, we asked our somewhat loopy waiter how we should order.  We made it known we were here for the crabs after he spent some time selling us on the duck and what not.  What duck?  When we said we wanted three orders, he made sure we understood they cost $48 bucks each.  Ok.  We get it.  Shouldn't you just shut up and hurry and put in the order before we could change our minds?  This is a pretty big payday for a lunch table, no?  Just go with it....

While waiting for the crab, we did start off with the steamed pork buns.  Delicious way to start off the meal!  Fatty, juicy - a pretty good rendition.  Maybe not as perfect as the Momofuku ones, but a close second.  The soft boiled egg and crisp salad was a nice touch though.

Onto the main event.  Chili crabs!  Served with thick style texas toast - the crabs were smothered in a thick spicy tomato sauce.  Not exactly what I pictured - the sauce was much thicker and almost had a soup/pasta sauce type of consistency.  Delicious no matter.  But definitely messy!

They should serve these things with a bodysuit.  Ok - well at least a bib!  Don't wear your finest for this one (again, another reason not to take a date!)  This is something only meant to be eaten with family.  You can use the crackers given, or you could go animal style and just use your hands.  Which is pretty much what we all did.

Ate in silence.  Didn't look at each other.  It would be too much.  Frankly - this is a meal to enjoy in peace and not when the restaurant is too crowded.  I cannot imagine doing this with everyone watching!

All parts of the crab are up for grabs - legs, insides, anything you can dig out.  Eat it!  Don't be bashful!  The slimiest parts are always the best!

All in all - the crabs were delicious.  If you are willing to do the work.  And I think we are all willing to do so.  Maybe this will be a quarterly tradition?

See you there soon!

Fatty Crab

West Village
643 Hudson (between Horatio and Gansevoort)
212-352-3592

Upper West Side
2170 Broadway (between 76th and 77th)
212-496-2722

Chop't Salads - Are we in Disneyland?

From the size of the line and the way it wrapped several times in the Times Square location yesterday, for a moment I was a bit confused.

Who knew that salad could inspire lines reminiscent of Space Mountain!

Chop't specializes in fresh, creative salad mixes that are mixed and chopped before your eyes!  No one likes eating a huge piece of lettuce - so at  Chop't, everything is chopped into that perfect bite.

Salad creations include decadent options like the Chop't Po Boy (fried chicken, jack cheese, red onions, tomatoes and tex mex ranch - it has a kick!) and the Kebab Salad (grilled chicken, feta cheese, red onions, peppers, and pita chips chop’t with romaine lettuce) and the Steakhouse (Grilled flank steak, tomato, and fried onions chop’t with romaine lettuce).

Or...make your own salad from dozens of toppings!  In any event, Chop't will run you around $9-11 bucks for a salad.  Pretty pricey for lunch - better make it a once a week treat!

Maybe on a Friday when you can take a little bit of a longer lunch.  Given the lines...you'll need it!

P.S. Pick up a loyalty card - after 9 salads, you get one free!  That's like 10% off!

Chop't
Several locations
Menu

Northern Spy Food - Locally sourced food does a body good!

So recently my boyfriend and I have decided to institute a Sunday night "date night."  Early Sunday dinners are an awesome idea since usually places aren't really packed on Sundays - much less earlier in the evening, and it's a great way to try out new restaurants.

And there's nothing better than it being 7pm on Sunday night and already being done with dinner!  The weekend still seems long.... trickery I tell you!

Last Sunday we tried Northern Spy Food Co. in the East Village. This is a tiny little restaurant nestled on East 12th between Ave. A and B - specializing in locally sourced artisanal foods from the Mid Atlantic and the North East.

Think of a cheaper version of Blue Hill, Craft, etc.

The ambiance was like the perfect little country comfort food neighborhood diner.  Cozy benches and stools - this place just screams warmth and friendliness!

I decided to go with the chicken and egg sandwich - chicken thigh + poached egg with fresh veggies, nestled in a pocket sandwich.  With sweet pickled onions and a pickle with a bite to last a while - this was a really nice light dinner option.

More like a late afternoon snack, I also added a side of the potatoes and dill mustard as well as the braised kale.  Yum yum yum.

My boyfriend went with the Sunday dinner special - get this - 3 courses for $20 bucks!  Starting off with the Farmers Market Salad - deliciously fresh sweet potato, carrots, turnip and potatoes in a light yogurt dressing.  Topped off with mint - this had to be one of the best salads I've ever had.  Focusing on root vegetables - it was super hearty and left me feeling clean and refreshed.

Next came the chicken meatballs.  A bit like chicken parmesan - it definitely reminded me of old style Italian cooking.  Without the greasy part.

Finally - warm winter bread pudding.  Topped with super fresh whipped cream.  Served piping hot - in a large bowl, this is enough to share.

But of course we still had room for the carrot cake.  Probably the second best thing of the night (just after the Farmers Market Salad).

All in all - it was a great meal.  I'd definitely go back - maybe next time I'll try their brunch!

Oh - and also definitely try one of their homemade seltzers.  With flavors like concord grape and quince (!!) you can't go wrong!

Northern Spy Food Co.
511 East 12th Street (between A and B)
212- 228-5100

Joe's Stone Crab - Las Vegas - Sooo good!

I went to Vegas over Christmas - a yearly family tradition circa 1990.  As I have seen Vegas grow and change over the years - many new restaurants have opened and failed - sometimes within the same year!!

This year we tried Joe's Stone Crab - located in the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. And boy did it impress!  Ever since Joe wanted to fly Victory down to Miami for a lunch crab date on Lipstick Jungle - I've been wondering what the fuss was about!

Since I haven't had a chance to hit Miami...Las Vegas was the next best place to try the delicious stone crab!

Cracked perfectly - served chilled - the crab claws were enormous!  And oh so fresh!  Possibly the best crab claws I've ever had.  No tools necessary - the shell just fell off.

For dinner I ordered the lump crab cakes.  At $28 bucks - they sounded a bit pricey.  But once I saw them - it was a great deal!  Huge chunks of crab!!!  These were two extremely meaty and dense crab cakes - a huge change from the normally overloaded breadcrumbed crabcakes.....

$28 bucks is a steal for these cakes!!!!

Just be prepared from a little stiffness from the service - black tie!  Does anyone else do that anymore??!?!

Joe's Stone Crab
Forum Shops
@ Caesars
3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-792-9222

Bon Chon Chicken @ Boka - Does anyone order anything else there?

Besides the watermelon soju?  Last week I finally headed down to Boka in the east village on St. Marks between 3rd and 2nd Ave.  With a full menu of sushi and extras - $$$ extras - we stuck with the Bon Chon chicken, fries and watermelon soju.

And judging by the rest of the diners - this was the most popular order.  At this point, why not just take everything else off the menu and only serve Bon Chon?  Is it allowed?

For those who don't know - Bon Chon is the Korean fried chicken that took the city/country mad last year.  Super crispy, comes in a sweet soy glaze or a tangy spicy version - legs, wings, it's all good!  Paired with fries (I like the ones in midtown at Mad For Chicken more - thick cut steakhouse type fries with a super spicy mayo dip!) - it's the perfect meal for a Sunday night.

Which brings me to the all you can eat Bon Chon Sun - Thurs happy hour.  Chicken + Beer for $23?  What a deal...

Now if only they put in a couple more tvs and turned it into a sports bar...hrmm...there's a business idea!

Boka
9 Saint Marks, (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
(212) 228-2887

Thanksgiving at 10 Downing - Pretty Good!

So I know this is super late - but I didn't want to let it go without a mention.  I know previously I was very harsh on 10 Downing - I just wasn't impressed with the brunch I had last year.

My boyfriend took a pretty big risk this year and booked our Thanksgiving dinner at 10 Downing.  Which, thankfully for him - was actually very very good!!

And at $45/person - pretty reasonable.

After a nice fresh salad of buttermilk lettuce and fresh apples (gotta love the crispness of the apples to cut into the buttery lettuce!) I of course ordered the turkey with all the trimmings.

Now what I really liked about their rendition was the way it was served.  It almost reminded me of the way I would put together my plate if I were at a big family dinner buffet style.  Rustic, slightly messy - it reminded me of a home cooked meal.

Now that's tough to accomplish.  I mean it actually looked really appetizing!  Thanksgiving is not a day for prim and proper and stuffiness...it's a day for real good ole fashioned home cooking.  And in NYC - away from family, it was a nice touch.  The turkey was moist (a challenge no doubt!) and the stuffing cooked just right.

Onto dessert - which was AMAZING.  Very very delicious.  A petite pumpkin pie tort with fresh whipped cream and caramel brulee.  Delicious!!!  Sweet, crunchy, creamy - what more can you ask for in a Thanksgiving dessert?

I would definitely come back next year.  10 on a scale of 10!

10 Downing
Downing at 6th Ave.
212-255-0300

Commerce - Foie gras stuffing? Wow!

On Wednesday I went to Commerce for a casual birthday dinner.  Super casual and cute, Commerce reminded me of a classic European bistro with a European clientele to boot.  It definitely reminded me of Balthazar and Pastis in both ambiance and patrons....

First off was the most amazing bread basket ever!  This has to win the award for most generous gratis offering in the city.  Freshly baked and piping hot - each roll had a surprise inside!  From onion marmalade to pork to cranberry pecan - each roll was a delight!!!  I had to seriously hold off from eating the whole thing otherwise there's no way I'd be able to eat my meal!

We started off by sharing the spaghetti carbonara - which I was eager to compare with my all time favorite rendition at Po.  This one was served with a rather thick pasta served very al dente (not cooked all the way through) and a coddled egg.  On the salty side with a sauce that was a bit more runny than I'd like - I'd say Po still remains the king of the carbonara.

Onto the main meal - of course we had to order the much talked about Roasted Chicken with potatoes and foie gras stuffing!  Yummm....the chicken came out super moist and the potatoes and stuffing were very decadent and rich.  A little too rich.   I must say I feared for my stomach, but no fear everything was fine!!

This meal is for when you are really hungry - a satisfying meal all around - it must be one of the best chicken dishes around town!

I would go back - for the bread basket definitely - and for the chicken when I'm wanting something extra special.

Commerce
50 Commerce St. (at Barrow)
212-524-2301

The Redhead - Is the hype justified?

After Frank Bruni did one of his last reviews for The Redhead, the wait time for a table turned into a 1 to 2 hour marathon on any given night. You are welcome to have a seat at the bar where you can order from the full menu - but good luck getting a seat without baring some teeth.

Last Saturday night my boyfriend and I stopped by The Redhead at around 8:45pm. After being told the wait was around 1-1 1/2 hours long - we proceeded to try to shimmy our way into an advantageous spot near the bar that would make it easy for us to nab two seats.

Not easy at all. Just as a group of 4 got up to go to their table, 3 men swooped in, leaving just one spot for me. Boo - was my boyfriend supposed to eat standing up? Anyhow - I sat guard on my seat and proceeded to order - thinking this would guarantee us the next bar seat available.

Wrong again. After the couple next to me got up - it was only after I bared some teeth that I was able to wrangle an extra seat. Tip - eating out is not for the weak in NYC....

Ok ok. Onto the food. We started off with the much talked about and raved about bacon brittle and peanuts.

Huh? For what I could tell - they were just planters peanuts with some bacon! Maybe I just didn't get it. A bit overly salty and sweet for my taste - this probably appeals to those who enjoy Momofuku Milk Bar...

For our main dishes we ordered the fried chicken, of course! And the burger. While the chicken was crispy and juicy all the way through - even the guy next to us agreed that sometimes nothing beats good old KFC...

The salad accompanying the chicken however was very nice- sprinkled with pecans which added a nice sweet touch. And you can never go wrong with cornbread.

As for the burger - at $10 bucks, I'd say this was a pretty good deal. But again - it's nothing special. Just a regular burger. And not that big of one to boot.

Finally we got the salt and vinegar fingerling potatoes. Ouch! Super strong vinegar and doused in oil - these are for only the strong at heart...and strong stomachs....

Which brings me to my last comment - apparently something went wrong with my stomach, because I didn't feel too good the rest of the night.

But maybe that was just me - my boyfriend was fine!

All in all - The Redhead is your average neighborhood spot - nothing special, and in my opinion certainly not worth the 1-1/12 hour wait.

Maybe I came on an off night??

P.S. No pictures this time - sometimes it just feels awkward taking pictures at a bar, don't you think?

The Redhead
349 East 13th St. (between 1st and 2nd)
212-533-6212

Blue Hill Stone Barns - Flavors of the Farm

So I'm finally getting around to writing about my trip last Sunday to Blue Hill Stone Barns for the "Flavors of the Farm" event put on by the New York Food and Wine Festival.

At $200 bucks a head, I had buyers remorse right after I purchased the tickets way back in June.  For the next 4 months I debated whether I should sell the tickets, but before you know it October 11 was upon us and I still was holding my tickets.

And boy was I glad I held onto them!  The event included transportation out to Stone Barns (a must-have for this New Yorker who has no car!) and a tour around the farm, plus a wonderful fresh farm lunch with wine pairings and a cameo by none other than Dan Barber himself.

And given the Obamas had just had a very well publicized date night at his NYC restaurant, Blue Hill Stone Barns is quite the destination.

The weather was absolutely beautiful as we pulled into the imposing gates of the Rockefeller estate. We started off with a tour of the greenhouse where vegetables are grown year around in probably the most ideal conditions known to man.

Perfectly timed temperature and humidity readings based on the always changing weather, you've never seen vegetables this perfect looking.  Is it just me, or is there actually something very unnatural about this type of excessive atmospheric control?

Onto the good part.  Animals!  I think we all chose to forget that this is a farm, and that all of these animals were here for consumption.  It felt more like a really nice zoo.  At least I kept telling myself that.  And I tried to ignore the fact that the first stop was looking at the pigs in their "finishing stage."  All I can say is - thank goodness we didn't have pork for lunch.

This was the first time I have seen pigs.  Not so much the "Babe" or "Wilbur" variety - these pigs were hogs.  Big hogs!  Dark brown and huge!!!  But still cute nonetheless.  Super social, snorting galore!  And the highlight was seeing mama pig and her babies.  Not sure if I can ever eat sucking pig again....

Onto the sheep.  So picture perfect - I'm really glad I don't eat lamb!  And what a great sheep herding dog.  No dogs are allowed near the sheep except their protector - this great big white sheep herding dog that proceeded to yelp and bark to death a poor tiny Pomeranian  who had accidentally been brought by its unsuspecting owners.  Not around this neighborhood!

On the other side were the turkeys.  Unfortunately I don't really think turkeys are that cute.  There was a turkey in my hometown neighborhood that used to scare the bejesus out of me....Ever since then I can't be too close to them - or chickens for that matter.

Which brings me to the laying hens!  Free range for sure - they looked to be living in the picture perfect farm.  Wandering around the grass, taking dust baths....this hens had it good. Unlike the poor broiler chickens down the way which our tour guide oh so conveniently forgot to mention.  I guess that's because they were for lunch.

Lunch was beautifully presented in the restaurant.  A bit like a wedding with assigned seating - I was so glad my table companions had great dining chemistry.  Just delightful!

Started off with a beet salad laid on top of the most perfect pine nut butter.  I searched relentlessly for this pine nut butter in the shop to no avail.  Watch out peanut butter - you've got competition!

The next course was my personal favorite.  The farm's morning fresh egg.  Perfectly poached and then fried laid on top of a bed of wild mushrooms - this was so scrumptious to the end.  There's nothing like a perfectly cooked egg that is soft and runny in the inside.  And the yolk had the kind of deep yellow color you can only get from fresh free range hens....

For the main course, we had "relaxed" chicken on top of fresh haricot verts.  The chicken was incredibly tender - almost taking on a spongy type of texture.  I suppose this is after having one of the most "relaxed" lives possible for a chicken...

Finally, dessert - a beautiful fromage blanc sorbet dressed with concord grape and a pear and ginger compote.  A perfectly refreshing end to a wonderful meal.

Paired with seemingly unlimited wines - my $200 bucks seemed like a pretty good deal by the end of it.

For anyone in the city, I recommend taking a day trip out to Stone Barns.  It is a beautiful farm set upon an idyllic backdrop of the farmlands around the Hudson valley.

Educational and delicious - it's always a good thing to know where your food comes from.


Blue Hill Stone Barns
630 Bedford Road
Pocantico Hills, NY 10591

La Esquina Taqueria - Is there any need to go downstairs?

So it's probably totally unfair and stupid for me to even have written that title since I have never been downstairs at La Esquina, haha.

But, I have been around the corner to the cafe - and trust me, the taco stand is exactly the same.

Except cheaper. And much better people watching!

And cheaper is definitely my priority these days :)

Tacos are all under $4 bucks, and served a la carte.  Unlike the cafe, here you can mix and match all you want - I tend to get full with even just two tacos as each is quite large, often spilling out of the flour tortilla.

I love the bistec taco - a classic with steak, onions, cilantro and chipotle salsa.  Another good choice is the pescado - grilled market fish- nothing better than a good fish taco, right?

Add a side of grilled corn and finish it off with a Mexican hot chocolate on a cold night and you are good to go.

Oh they also deliver and open late making it perfect for a late night snack...

La Esquina Taqueria
114 Kenmare St. (between Lafayette and Centre)
646-613-7100

Cafeteria - A classic Chelsea no muss no fuss spot

On a nice night, few spots beat the sidewalk dining at Cafeteria in Chelsea.

A Chelsea standby, Cafeteria is pretty dependable for good old fashioned spruced up diner food.

Servings are abundant, atmosphere is sufficiently hip (even years after its heyday) and the wait is usually very doable.

Even at primetime on a Friday night, I didn't have to wait for a perfect twospot right on the sidewalk.

What I love is that the restaurant is always crowded enough to make you feel like you are somewhere hip, but never too crowded where the wait becomes unbearable.

I went with the Fried Chicken Salad - an abundant heaping of fried chicken, beans, haricot verts (green beans), tomatoes and chipotle dressing.  The dressing was spicy!

I usually never believe that these types of places mean spicy when they say spicy - but Cafeteria does.

My mouth was burning a couple bites in.  But it was worth it - the salad is no salad for models - this is the real deal.  Definitely filling enough and at $12 bucks - it's one of the great deals in town!

The Braised Short Rib Tacos were also huge portions - 3 heaping tacos overflowing with braised short ribs.  Served with a sweet potato puree, the short ribs were very rich and juicy.

Almost too heavy to eat in a taco, you soon have to resort to fork and knife for this one.  The corn and apple salsa is a perfect way to finish off the dish with a light and refreshing twist.

Other great standbys are the macaroni and cheese trio and of course the burger!

Cafeteria is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  The ultimate diner.  And after so many years I think we can safely say it's now a Chelsea institution that hopefully is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Cafeteria
119 7th Ave (at 17th Street)
212-414-1190